Valerie Bettis

Valerie Elizabeth Bettis (December 1919 – September 26, 1982) was an American modern dancer and choreographer. She found success in musical theatre, ballet, and as a solo dancer. Valerie Bettis was born on either December 19 or December 20, 1919 in Houston, Texas. Her parents were Royal Holt Bettis and Valerie Elizabeth Bettis (McCarthy). Her father died when she was thirteen years old, after which her mother married Hugh Prather. In 1943, Bettis married Bernardo Segall, who was then her company's music director, though the marriage ended in divorce in 1955. In 1959, she married Arthur A. Schmidt who died in 1969. On September 26, 1982, Bettis died at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan at the age of 62.